Now that artificial intelligence is clearly here to stay, celebrities are taking notice and pushing back. Pop juggernaut Taylor Swift recently filed three trademark applications, seemingly in an attempt to protect her voice and likeness from being recreated without her consent.
Her applications, which were filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office late last week, cover two distinct “sound marks”, namely the singer saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor”. They also cover one image trademark, specifically a visual of the artist holding a pink guitar while standing on-stage wearing a multicoloured bodysuit and silver boots (many will recognise it as one of her signature Eras Tour looks).
Swift isn’t the first to take such measures in the uncertain age of AI. Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey was granted eight trademarks in 2025, including an audio snippet of the actor saying, “alright, alright, alright” – his famous line from the 1993 indie comedy Dazed and Confused – as well as other audio and video clips of the celebrity.
Of course, there are existing copyright protections for those in the creative industries. In the US, songs are protected by copyright law, but this is complicated by AI, given that the technology can now generate entirely new creations based on an artist or actor’s voice. Beyond that, an individual’s likeness or image is protected by “right of publicity” laws in certain states.
However, intellectual property attorney Josh Gerben wrote in his blog on Monday that Swift and McConaughey’s recent filings “test new theories on how trademark law will work in the AI age”.
Gerben, who was first to spot Swift’s filings, said her trademark could theoretically allow the singer to claim that any use of her voice or image that resembles the registered trademarks violates her trademark rights. They technically don’t have to be identical reproductions – if the creation is “confusingly similar” to her trademark, she could have a case.
Sounds rather foolproof, right? Surely, every celebrity will jump on a similar bandwagon as AI continues to evolve. Well, not quite.
Swift and McConaughey are some of the first to use trademark in an attempt to protect their own voice – a case like this has not been fully brought to court yet, especially regarding AI, so no precedent yet exists.
That’s not to say they couldn’t eventually set one, however. For now, it seems this kind of trademark could simply offer additional protections – or further ammunition – for artists and actors in the fight against non-consensual AI creations that mimic their persona.
It’s unsurprising that someone like Swift would find this appealing. She has already been mimicked by AI several times without her permission. Last year, Meta’s unauthorised AI chatbots of virtual celebrities, including Swift, reportedly “routinely made sexual advances”, forcing the tech giant to take them down. The singer has also been the subject of pornographic “deep fakes”, and US President Donald Trump even shared an AI-generated image of her during the 2024 election campaign that falsely suggested she endorsed him.
This is becoming an increasing challenge for celebrities, who make money off their singular personas. After all, the entertainment industry’s growing unregulated use of AI was one of the major issues during the dual Hollywood strikes in 2023.
Though the studios struck a deal that ensured significant AI guardrails, it remains a contentious issue in and around Tinsel Town. For example, British television presenter Jeremy Clarkson applied to trademark his face earlier this year after his image was used without consent in various advertisements. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson hired lawyers in 2024 after finding her voice “eerily similar” to an OpenAI chatbot.
Ultimately, Gerben said it remains to be seen if Swift’s filings will work as intended. “A Federal Court will need a case to stress-test the legal theories behind the filings. That said, the legal theories behind the filings [seem] strong.”
Must-see movies, interviews and all the latest from the world of film delivered to your inbox. Sign up for our Screening Room newsletter.
Nell Geraets is a Culture reporter at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
